Candle holder



Oct. 27, 1942.

willillilllil ll] E. H. KETCHUM CANDLE HOLDER Filed May 6, 1941 INVENTOR. K'ErcHuM FL hsg 11.

ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 27, 1942 UNlTED STATES PATENTQFOFFICE CANDLE 110mm Elmer Henry Ketchum, San Francisco, Calif., as-

signor to The Bur-ridge 00., San Francisco, Calif., a copartnership composed of Frank Baisa, John Bracco, and Elmer H. Ketchum Application May 6, 1941, Serial No. 392,130

3 Claims. (01. 67-23) My present invention relates to a candle support, and more particularly to a combined support and splicing means by which relatively long and large candles, such as are used in churches, mortuaries and the like, may be repaired and provided with a renewed burning tip in an ornamental and practical manner.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device by means of which two portions of a relatively long candle may be spliced together in a concealed, effective and ornamental manner.

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and novel splicing means for securing a renewable burning tip upon a partially consumed candle. I

Another object of the invention is to provide a simple and practical candle splicing means which is adapted for use upon candles of different diameters.

Another object of the invention is to provide a candle splicing device in which the abutting ends of the candle and the splicing means are ens tirely concealed in an ornamental manner.

In connection with church services and various other ceremonies, there are certain occasions when candles are employed, the candles being sometimes as long as four'feet and up to three inches in diameter. These candles are quite expensive to make, and are never burned continuously for such a length of time as to exhaust them, but are lighted at different times and thus they become gradually shorter and shorter. For appearance, it is desirable that the candles be of a substantially uniform length and of a predetermined normal height and, therefore, it is a further object of my invention to provide an ornamental means whereby the unconsumed portions of relatively long and large candles may be used as a support for a renewable length of candle, which may be burned during the ceremony.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part evident to those skilled in the art and in part pointed out hereinafter in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein there is shown by way of illustration and not of limitation preferred embodiments of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a front view of a candle with parts broken away and showing my invention applied thereto, a

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side elevation of the candle and device illustrated in Figure l,

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view taken along line IIIIII of Figure 2,

Figure 4 is a view similar toFigure 3 showing the invention as applied to .a candle of larger diameter,

Figures 5 and 6 are respectively front and side views of a modification'of my invention, and

Figure 7 is a plan View of the device illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 with the upper candle portion removed.

Reference is now made to thedrawing for :a more detaileddescription of my invention. As illustrated in Figure lithe numeral Ml designates a suitable foundation or base, such as is commonly used for supporting candles. It is to be understood that this base it] may take many forms. Supported by this base Hi there is a lower candle portion H andimmediately above, there is shown an upper and burnablecandle portion l2. Concealing the abutting ends of the upper and lower candle portions II and 12, there is an ornamental shield is whichfln the present instance, is illustrated as having an embossed religious symbol thereupon. It will be understood that this ornamental shield l3 may take various shapes and may be provided with innumerable types of ornamentation. For example, the shield may be round, square, or in the form of a star or other symbolic outline.

As shown in Figures 2: and 3 of the drawing,

the shield l3 has a channel forming member 14 secured in a vertical position upon its back sur-f I face which serves to locate and position the adjacent ends of the candle'portions II and E2 in" alignmentand centrally of the shield 83. EX- tending outwardly from the back of theshield I 3 and centrally of the channel forming member 14 there is also provided an internally threaded member l5 which, in connection with a threaded member or screw it, is adapted to form a support and secure a second oppositely disposed channel forming member I! in clamping engagement with the opposite sides of the candle por tions H and I2. As here illustrated, the threaded member or screw 1 6 is provided with a winged head I8 by means of which the two channel forming members 14 and Il may be brought into firm clamping engagement with the upper and With this ar-- lower candle portions H and I2. rangement it will be seen that the internally threaded member l5 will rest upon the upper end of the lower candle portion H and thus support the shield !3 against any downward movement and, at the same time, it will provide a support for the lower end of the upper candle portion l2.

ing members l4 and l! are constructed in this manner with a substantially V-shaped crosssection, they will possess considerable strength and, at the same time, they can flex and adjust themselves with respect to each other so as to firmly grip the adjacent ends of the candle portions H and I2. This V-shaped cross-section of the channel forming members M and vI! also renders them applicable to candles of widely. different diameters, as the diagonally disposed wing or ear-like portions thereof provide tangent surfaces which will engage the cylindrical surface of the candle portions without cutting into or damaging the candle surface. For example, as is shown in Figure 4 of the drawing, when the invention is applied to a relatively large candle, the diagonally disposed portions of the channel forming members [4 and H will engage the candle portions near their outer edges. In this latter figure of the drawing, the screw or threaded member I6 is shown as having a knurled head l9 instead of a winged head I8, as previously described.

In Figures 5, 6 and 7 of the drawing there is illustrated a modification of the invention in which each of the channel forming members 14 and I! are provided with an ornamental concealing shield. As here shown, these shields, designated respectively by the numerals 2B and 2|, are of semi-cylindrical cross-section so that they will extend partially around the candle portions II and I2 and thus, more or less, effectively conceal the channel forming members 14 and I1 and their securing means. With such an arrangement it will be seen that the invention may be used upon candles that may be viewed from all sides and is, therefore, not limited to use upon candles which are viewed against a back drop, as would be the case in connection with the embodiment of the invention I as described with reference to Figures 1 to 4 of the drawing. As a further requirement of this embodiment of the invention, and in order not to destroy or conflict with its ornamental character, the threaded member or screw It is here illustrated as having a flat ornament-ally slotted head 22' that is of a design which will effectively merge with or constitute a part of the ornamental design provided upon the concealing shields 29 and 2|. With this device, it will, of course, be desirable to provide a special screw driver or tool by means of which the ornamented head 22 upon the threaded member or screw I6 may be turned to tighten the channel forming member l4 and I1 upon the candle portions II and I 2, as above described.

While I have, for the sake of clearness and in order to disclose the invention so that the same can be readily understood, described and illus trated specific devices and arrangements,- I desire to have it understood that this invention is not limited to the specific means disclosed,

this invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An ornamental candle splicing device comprising, a shield-like member of ornamental design having intersecting planar surfaces upon its back surface forming a vertically extending V- channel into which the adjacent'ends of two candle portions of varying diameters may be disposed in end-to-end relation, a second memher having similarly arranged planar surfaces forming an oppositely disposed V-channel engageable with said candle portions, and threaded means extending between said candle portions and cooperating with said shield-like member and said second member to clamp said candle portions between said members, whereby said shield-like member of ornamental design will be disposed in concealing relation over the clamped ends of said candle portions.

2. An ornamental candle splicing device comprising, a body member of ornamental design having diagonally disposed ears forming a V shaped channel extending vertically along its back surface and into which the ends of adjacent candle portions of varying diameters may be disposed, and internally threaded member extending from said body member centrally of said V-shaped channel adapted to rest upon one of said candle portions and form a support for the other of said candle portions, a cooperating member adapted to engage said candle portions oppositely of said V-shaped channel, and threaded means engaging said internally threaded member for clamping said cooperating member against said candle portions, whereby said candle portions will be securely clamped in co-. axial relation in the V-shaped channel carried by said body member and in a concealed position behind'said ornamental body member.

3. In an ornamental candle splicing device, the combination of a pair of oppositely disposed vertically extending clamping members of V-shaped cross section, threaded means for securing said clamping members in clamping engagement with two candle portions arranged in end-to-end relation, and an ornamental body member carried by each of said clamping members for concealing said clamping members when said clamping members are applied to the adjacent ends of two candle portions to form a splice therebetween.

ELMER HENRY KETCHUM. 

